A Super Detailed 12-Day, 11-Night Xi'an Travel Guide (Step-by-Step Itinerary)

📍 Xi'an · 👁 1 reads · ❤️ 115 likes

I spent over ten days in Xi'an, and basically explored the city inside out~ I also met many fun and interesting travel buddies, lucky me~

I stayed near Xiangzi Gate, in the city center, with very convenient transportation. You can use Alipay to scan QR codes for bus and subway rides; just bind your card in advance—super convenient.

In early September, there's still a noticeable temperature difference between day and night in Xi'an, especially on rainy days when the perceived temperature drops sharply, so keep warm. In summer it gets very sunny, remember sun protection; in autumn and winter it's dry, so moisturize well.

During my time in Xi'an, it was clear blue skies almost every day, so my mood was bright, and photos turned out great no matter where I took them~ Wishing the same good luck to future visitors!

Here's my itinerary at that time (for reference only):

DAY1: Xiangzi Temple --> leisurely wandered around various shopping areas near the South Gate (a lazy, easy first day)

DAY2: Ancient Guanyin Temple --> Shangwang Village --> Bell and Drum Towers --> Muslim Quarter (the shadow play on the street, not recommended)

DAY3: Huaqing Palace (Lishan, Xi'an Incident large-scale live show) --> Terracotta Warriors --> Song of Everlasting Regret

DAY4: Daci'en Temple (Big Wild Goose Pagoda) --> Tang Paradise --> Xi'an Art Museum --> Great Tang All Day Mall

DAY5: Xicang (recommended for market lovers) --> Shaanxi History Museum (a must-see) --> Shanghai Sanlian Bookstore

DAY6: Mount Hua Scenic Area --> Yongxing Square (food is better than Muslim Quarter)

DAY7: Shuyuanmen (recommended for calligraphy and painting lovers) --> Beilin Museum --> Ancient City Wall

DAY8: Daming Palace Ruins Park --> Dahua 1935 --> Laogangchang Creative Park --> Banpo Art Zone --> Gao Family Mansion (shadow play, recommended)

DAY9: White Deer Plain Film City --> Huifang

DAY10: Xi'an Museum --> Small Wild Goose Pagoda --> Blue Sea Breeze · Hong Kong Manga Bookstore (recommended for bookstore lovers)

DAY11: Guangren Temple --> Zhang Xueliang Mansion --> Yanjiyou Bookstore

DAY12: Woke up lazily, lazily packed my things, then lazily went to eat, took some photos, and finally rushed hurriedly to catch the train.

1. Great Tang All Day Mall

· Opening hours: All day

· Rating: ★★★★☆

A Tang Dynasty-style pedestrian street, adjacent to Tang Paradise and Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Best to visit at night, the night view is quite beautiful. There's a wide variety of food, but the crowds are truly massive, shoulder to shoulder (I'm not a fan of crowded places, the crush makes me uncomfortable, so I left after strolling for half an hour). The famous "tumbler lady" from Douyin performs at the North Square, a 20-minute show, but be prepared to queue for an extremely long time. Also, it's a conveyor belt-style viewing now, security guards with loudspeakers will rush you forward, not giving you time to stop for photos, let alone any handshake interaction like in the videos. So I just took a glance from afar and left, haha.

2. Daci'en Temple (Big Wild Goose Pagoda)

· Ticket: ¥40, climbing the pagoda ¥25

· Opening hours: 8:00 - 17:30

· Rating: ★★★☆☆

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is inside the temple, housing the relics of Master Xuanzang (Tang Monk). Personally, unless you are a Buddhist devotee, you can skip climbing the pagoda. If you're loaded, feel free. I heard from passersby that the 4th floor of Dayuecheng Mall outside the scenic area offers a great angle to photograph the pagoda.

3. Small Wild Goose Pagoda

· Ticket: Free but requires a ticket; climbing the pagoda ¥30

· Opening hours: 8:00 - 17:30, closed on Tuesdays

· Rating: ★★★☆☆

Located next to Xi'an Museum, you can visit both together. Climbing the pagoda is not recommended.

4. Xi'an Museum

· Ticket: Free but requires a ticket, book in advance

· Opening hours: 9:00 - 17:00, closed on Mondays

· Rating: ★★★★☆

If you have enough time, it's worth a visit. Less famous than Shaanxi History Museum and less crowded, but the collection is substantial, allowing a quiet and leisurely visit. Remember to rent an audio guide, otherwise wandering around is meaningless. When visiting museums, I usually don't take photos—just quietly appreciate and learn.

5. Shaanxi History Museum

· Ticket: Free but requires a ticket, must book in advance

· Opening hours: 9:00 - 17:00, closed on Mondays

· Rating: ★★★★★

Needless to say how famous this museum is—everyone coming to Xi'an will go. Strongly recommend renting an audio guide after entering: rental fee ¥30, deposit ¥100 (cash only, or you can leave your ID card), otherwise you'll be clueless.

!! Also note: Selfie sticks are not allowed inside. If you brought one, go to the locker room right after entering the main gate to store it; otherwise you'll queue for nothing. After entering the main gate, use your ID and booking confirmation to exchange for a paper ticket. Only with the paper ticket can you pass security and enter.

6. Daming Palace Ruins Park

· Ticket: Free

· Opening hours: 9:00 - 17:00

· Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I went after watching a documentary about Daming Palace. Sighed over the lost glory; if not for the information signs, you can't even see traces of what was destroyed. Now it's a park, mostly elderly people exercising and strolling, with many playing musical instruments.

7. Shuyuanmen (Gate of the Academy)

· Opening hours: All day

· Rating: ★★★★★

Xi'an's scholarly quarter; the entire street is lined with shops and stalls selling the Four Treasures of Study, calligraphy, and paintings. Calligraphy lovers shouldn't miss it. Guanzhong Academy and Beilin Museum are both here. Also, strong recommendation for culture and folklore fans! This area is full of old houses! If you have time, chat with the elderly residents here and listen to their tales of Xi'an's historical changes and developments. Now it's a demolition area, so these old houses are about to become bygone memories of Xi'an. Hurry to capture them before it's too late~

As a huge culture enthusiast, of course I didn't pass it up~ bravely ventured into the residential area~ The old men here told me many things, happy memories, grumbles, expectations for relocation, helplessness, and most of all, nostalgia for the place they've lived their whole lives. Even though two months have passed, recalling their words still stirs me deeply.

8. Xi'an Beilin Museum (Stele Forest)

· Ticket: ¥65

· Opening hours: 9:00 - 17:00

· Rating: ★★☆☆☆

A cultural heritage site with many stone steles and inscriptions. If you're not into steles, you can skip it as you might find it boring.

9. Xi'an Ancient City Wall

· Ticket: ¥54

· Opening hours: 9:00 - 22:00

· Rating: ★★★★★

I suggest going in the late afternoon to avoid harsh sun and catch the sunset. After going up, you can rent a bike to cycle around the wall; the price is around ¥90 per person, if I recall correctly. If you don't mind walking, you can walk around, which takes about 3-4 hours. There's also a tram option, but I forgot the price.

One more thing—the sunset on the city wall is truly stunning~

10. Bell Tower & Drum Tower

· Ticket: Each ¥30, combo ticket ¥50

· Opening hours: Bell Tower 9:00 - 17:30, Drum Tower 8:30 - 20:30

· Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Personally, I don't think it's necessary to go inside. Just wait until they light up at night, find a good spot, and snap a photo.

11. Muslim Quarter

· No ticket, open all day

· Rating: ★★★☆☆

Mostly tourists from out of town, packed crowds. But since you're here, you might as well take a look.

Also, don't waste money on the street shadow play—it's very half-hearted. For shadow play, I recommend the Gao Family Mansion, much more earnest. Walk all the way into the Muslim Quarter until there are almost no tourists; that's Huifang. According to locals, this is where local diners go, with many time-honored eateries.

12. Gao Family Mansion

· Ticket: ¥15, shadow play ¥15

· Opening hours: 8:30 - 22:30

· Rating: ★★★★☆

The best-preserved traditional Han Chinese residential courtyard; the shadow play inside is worth watching.

13. Blue Sea Breeze · Hong Kong Manga Bookstore

· Rating: ★★★★★

The bookstore is huge and the style is quite magical. If you're not in a hurry, it's worth visiting for photos, reading, and coffee.

14. Huaqing Pool & Lishan

· Ticket: ¥120

· Opening hours: 9:00 - 17:00

· Huaqing Pool rating: ★☆☆☆☆

If not for the 'Song of Everlasting Regret' performance, Huaqing Pool alone isn't much to see. But you can delve into the Xi'an Incident history.

· At Yaoguang Pavilion, there's a large-scale live show of the Xi'an Incident, ticket ¥198; I think it's worth it (Rating: ★★★★☆). All actors are real, but you'll think they're statues because they are so dedicated—barely blinking—and the performance style is novel, with actors right beside the audience, making you feel involved.

· 'Song of Everlasting Regret' tickets range from ¥268 to ¥988; a must-see (Rating: ★★★★★). This splurge is worth every penny, even if only crappy seats are left, go see it. Remember to book well in advance—it's extremely popular and the live effects are stunning! I recorded videos but didn't take many photos; the video files are too large to upload.

15. Terracotta Warriors

· Ticket: ¥120

· Opening hours: 9:00 - 16:00

· Rating: ★★★★☆

As a world-class cultural heritage, of course you must visit. It's best to book tickets at least one day in advance. Also, hire a guide on site, otherwise you'll be a bit lost just looking on your own.

16. Tang Paradise

· Ticket: Free but requires a ticket (advance booking)

· Opening hours: 9:00 - 21:00

· Rating: ★★★★★ (Free entry? Of course you must go!)

China's largest replica Tang Dynasty royal complex, quite spectacular. The park is huge and now completely free, so definitely go. To watch the 'Dream Back to Tang' or 'Tang Dynasty Dream' performances, you'll need to purchase tickets in advance.

17. Yongxing Square

· Rating: ★★★★☆

A food street similar to Muslim Quarter but smaller, with some unique snacks not found in Muslim Quarter.

18. Xicang

· Rating: ★★★★★

Market open every Thursday and Sunday—mark the days! Locals call it "wandering the lanes." It's divided into Xicang East Alley, West Alley, South Alley, and North Alley, each with different themes: flowers and birds, antiques, curios. Bustling with hawking and bargaining, it's full of authentic marketplace vibes, a microcosm of old Xi'an. Culture fans, this is a must. I was thrilled to find a second-hand book stall, and got to know Teacher Xu, a used-book vendor, and Teacher Peng, a painter selling potted plants—lovely old souls with stories.

19. White Deer Plain Film City & White Deer Granary

· Ticket: Free

· Opening hours: 9:00 - 20:00

· Rating: ★★★★☆ (a bit far, otherwise full marks)

A retro Republican-era street, filming location of the TV series 'White Deer Plain', a paradise for photo ops.

20. Ancient Guanyin Temple

· Ticket: Free but requires a ticket

· Opening hours: 9:00 - 17:00

· Rating: ★★★☆☆

Legend has it Emperor Taizong of Tang (Li Shimin) personally planted this thousand-year-old ginkgo tree here. Now it's fenced off for protection, so you can't get close.

21. Shangwang Village

· Rating: ★★☆☆☆

A few bus stops from Ancient Guanyin Temple. I heard it's where many Xi'an locals kill time on weekends. The whole village is filled with farmhouse-style fun—hiking and fishing available.

22. Mount Hua Scenic Area

· Ticket: ¥160, North Peak cable car ¥45, West Peak cable car ¥120, West Peak cable car shuttle bus ¥40, North Peak cable car shuttle bus ¥20

· Opening hours: 7:00 - 18:00

· Rating: ★★★★★

If you want hassle-free, book a day-tour group from a reputable travel agency. I'm lazy, so I did. Usually they take the West up, North down route (no backtracking), prices around 500+. If you're on a budget and very fit, choose North up and North down, but the North Peak is steeper and harder to climb. Personally, the West Peak cable car views are much better than the North Peak, haha, so the West cable car is worth it.

Also, mind the cable car operating hours and queue times, don't miss the last ride. The mountain top is chilly, so bring a jacket if you get cold. And pack some snacks to replenish energy~

23. Xiangzi Temple

· Ticket: Free

· Opening hours: 8:00 - 17:00

· Rating: ★★☆☆☆

A Quanzhen Taoist temple; Xiangzi Temple is where Han Xiangzi, one of the Eight Immortals, became a monk. I visited purely because I lived very close by, haha.

24. Xi'an Art Museum

· Ticket: Free

· Opening hours: 10:00 - 22:00, closed on Mondays

· Rating: ★★★☆☆

Inside the Great Tang All Day Mall; dignified, classically elegant. Art exhibition fans can take a look.

25. Banpo International Art Zone

· Ticket: Free

· Opening hours: All day

· Rating: ★★★☆☆

Transformed from the Northwest First Dyeing Factory, a hipster hangout, great for photos.

· Banpo Museum is also inside; if you're interested in Banpo history, check it out.

26. Dahua 1935

· Ticket: Free

· Opening hours: 8:00 - 18:00

· Rating: ★★★☆☆

Dahua was originally Dahua Textile Factory, founded in 1935. Mottled walls, concrete and steel, with a strong industrial vibe from yesteryear. Now it's filled with artsy shops—quite literary and an offbeat spot with few visitors, worth exploring.

· The Dahua Museum inside is also worth a visit, telling the history of the entire factory.

27. Laogangchang Design Creative Industrial Park

· Ticket: Free

· Opening hours: All day

· Rating: ★★★☆☆

Compared to Dahua and Banpo, Laogangchang is smaller and has even fewer visitors, making it great for artsy street snaps. When tired, you can rest in the park's cafés.

· Lao Steel Factory Museum, if you have time, introduces its development history.

28. Guangren Temple

· Ticket: Free

· Opening hours: 8:00 - 18:00

· Rating: ★★★★☆

The only Tibetan Buddhist temple in Xi'an. Inside it's serene, with dappled shade from trees—very pleasant.

29. Zhang Xueliang Mansion

· Ticket: Free but requires a ticket

· Opening hours: 8:30 - 17:00, closed on Mondays

· Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Former site of the Xi'an Incident; you can learn about this history in detail here. There's a free audio guide via their official WeChat account.

30. Yanjiyou Bookstore

· Opening hours: 10:00 - 22:00

· Rating: ★★★☆☆

An internet-famous bookstore, very beautiful, comfortable, with unique design. Great for photos, and their cultural and creative products are quite interesting.

31. Shanghai Sanlian Bookstore

· Opening hours: 10:00 - 22:00

· Rating: ★★★★☆

A fairly large bookstore with a cozy atmosphere. It has a spiral staircase where many people take photos.

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My profile continues to update travel guides for various places, hope for your support, and wish you all happy travels~